To refreeze or to refrigerate?
Due to my busy schedule, I've started preparing all my meals on Sunday and cooking one a day for the rest of the week. It's generally defrosted chicken or meat.
Is it better for me to refreeze the meals (without cooking and with new liquid introduced) or to keep it in the refrigerator?
Best Answer
TLDR; If you defrosted the chicken in the fridge, go ahead and refreeze it. If you thawed it on the counter, cook it, then freeze it.
I was always taught: DO NOT REFREEZE uncooked meat!
But, I did a search and found this somewhat contradictory statement from a reliable source:
"Refreezing Once food is thawed in the refrigerator, it is safe to refreeze it without cooking, although there may be a loss of quality due to the moisture lost through thawing. After cooking raw foods which were previously frozen, it is safe to freeze the cooked foods. If previously cooked foods are thawed in the refrigerator, you may refreeze the unused portion. Freeze leftovers within 3-4 days. Do not refreeze any foods left outside the refrigerator longer than 2 hours; 1 hour in temperatures above 90 °F.
If you purchase previously frozen meat, poultry or fish at a retail store, you can refreeze if it has been handled properly."
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/FactSheets/Focus_On_Freezing/index.asp
There's also this: How long will uncooked chicken keep in the fridge?
Which says 1-2 days for raw chicken in the fridge.
Pictures about "To refreeze or to refrigerate?"
Should I freeze or refrigerate?
While refrigeration lends itself nicely to conveniently reusing leftovers in a short period of time, freezing leftovers guarantees freshness and ensures food is safe to eat for a long time. However, freezing will not destroy any microorganisms which may have developed before the food was frozen.Can you thaw and refrigerate?
The U. S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) advises: Once food is thawed in the refrigerator, it is safe to refreeze it without cooking, although there may be a loss of quality due to the moisture lost through thawing.Can you refreeze food thawed in the fridge?
When is it safe to refreeze food? You can safely refreeze frozen food that has thawed\u2014raw or cooked, although there may be a loss of quality due to the moisture lost through thawing. To safely refreeze, the thawed product must have been kept cold at 40 degrees or below for no more than 3-4 days.Why should you not refreeze after thawing?
When you freeze, thaw, and refreeze an item, the second thaw will break down even more cells, leaching out moisture and changing the integrity of the product. The other enemy is bacteria. Frozen and thawed food will develop harmful bacteria faster than fresh.21 Foods You Should Not Refrigerate
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Hakim Santoso, MART PRODUCTION, Mark McCammon, Mark McCammon